Tuning In: Sharks voice Eric Lindquist still has a rip-roaring time

The Worcester Sharks don’t score a lot of goals, so when they do find the net radio announcer Eric Lindquist describes it in rip-roaring style. Or even rip-pants style.

When the Sharks won in a shootout at Portland last Saturday, he got so excited the back of his pants ripped.

“You don’t want to sit near me when I’m calling a game,” Lindquist said. “My fists are flying. I’m jumping up and down. Sometimes, I’m more excited than one of the players.”

The back of Lindquist’s pants split down the middle while he jumped up and down and celebrated the 2-1 shootout victory, which was Worcester’s first win in Portland in more than 14 months. Undaunted, Lindquist rode the team bus back to Worcester and even went out for a drink afterward without changing his trousers.

Lindquist usually doesn’t change his tie if the Sharks win, but he decided against wearing his ripped pants for the next game, Sunday in Springfield, because the rip was too revealing. Maybe it was just a coincidence, but the Sharks not only lost at Springfield, they got shut out, 2-0.

Last weekend the Sharks played three games and during regulation and overtime they had only two goals and one fight — not a lot of action for Lindquist to describe.

“It brought me back to the three summers I called baseball,” Lindquist said. “It’s not always the most exciting, but you’ve got to keep people entertained.”

Lindquist sometimes does that by veering off the ice. He’ll tell his listeners that Springfield has the AHL’s best popcorn, Portland the best pizza, Connecticut the best sundaes and St. John’s the best fries with cheese and gravy. Lindquist believes that mingling with fans at the concession stands throughout the league adds to each broadcast, but it has also added to his waistline. He figures he’s gained 30 or 35 pounds in his six years of calling Sharks games on WTAG (580 AM, 94.9 FM). Lindquist admitted the pants he ripped Saturday had become a tad tight.

“There are lot of announcers,” Lindquist said, “who like to hide out up in their little perch and don’t enjoy talking to anyone or getting the full effect. Between periods, I like to race down to the concourse and get a vibe for what people are thinking about the game.”

Only two of the 15 teams in the Eastern Conference had scored fewer goals entering Thursday than Worcester’s 135, which were 43 less than scored by first-place Springfield. Worcester’s top two scorers, Tim Kennedy and Bracken Kearns, have been called up by San Jose, leaving Jon Matsumoto (12-16-28) as the leading scorer. Matsumoto ranked 113th in the AHL in points entering Thursday.

Strong goaltending by Alex Stalock and Harri Sateri and stellar defense have kept the Sharks within four points of the last playoff spot. Celtics guard Avery Bradley, who is known for his defense, will sign autographs at the Sharks game against Wilkes Barre-Scranton next Friday.

“He’ll fit right in,” Lindquist said.

With the Sharks getting shut out in Springfield Sunday, Lindquist turned up the sound so listeners could hear the music playing in the arena between the second and third periods.

“I asked everyone to do a Worcester Sharks goal dance, whatever that meant,” Lindquist said. “You’ve got to get creative. I had my tie off. I was swinging it. We were down, 2-0, we hadn’t scored all weekend. Sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.”

It didn’t work though.

Lindquist hasn’t had many chances to use one this season, but he doesn’t have a signature phrase for calling goals.

“It’s not that I don’t want one,” Lindquist said. “I always think I’m a little different than anyone else anyway. I have a unique way to call things. It’s not necessarily the best way and not everyone fully agrees with it or likes it, but I’m a huge fan of the game. I’m a fan No. 1 and a hockey announcer No. 2. I always call the game the way the fan wants it to be called.”

On his nights off, Lindquist listens to other AHL play-by-play announcers call games, but he believes his style works best for him, even if some consider it unorthodox.

“Sometimes,” Lindquist said, “I can get a little too excited when things aren’t going our way or if I fight breaks out or if the officiating isn’t going our way. I get emotional. I’m always working on that fine line of too much emotion and staying professional.”

Lindquist hopes his passion on the air carries him all the way to the NHL.

“If I didn’t think I could make it to the NHL,” he said, “I wouldn’t still be doing this.”

Contact Bill Doyle at wdoyle@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillDoyle15.